Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a fluid detection apparatus, a fluid detection method, and a storage medium.
Background Art
Information digitization using image processing apparatuses has been advanced, in which documents can be digitized by scanners, and digitized information can be output by printers and facsimiles. For example, some image processing apparatuses use electrophotography for an image forming operation, in which an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor is developed by toner, and the developed image is transferred onto a sheet.
When the electrophotography image forming apparatus is employed, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor is developed by a developing device, in which the developer is supplied to the developing device from a developer container. The residual quantity of the developer in the developer container can be detected using known methods. For example, the residual quantity of the developer can be detected by a sheet that is disposed in the developer container and deformable by an agitator of the developer in the developer container, in which the sheet can be deformed by contacting the agitator, and then the residual quantity of the developer can be detected based on the deformed sheet condition as disclosed in, for example, JP-2013-37280-A.
However, the deformation of sheet may not exactly correspond to the actual residual quantity of the developer in the developer container. Further, the sheet property changes over time, and the developer adheres on the sheet, with which the detection may not be performed with a higher precision.
Instead of the configuration using the sheet, an image forming apparatus can include a vibrator in the developer container, and an oscillator. The vibrator is made of material that effects magnetic flux passing through the vibrator while the vibrator can contact the developer in the developer container, and the oscillator that outputs frequency signals corresponding to the magnetic flux effected by the vibrator, in which the residual quantity of the developer in the developer container can be detected based on the frequency signals. When the residual quantity of the developer in the developer container is greater, the vibration of the vibrator is obstructed, and thereby the vibration of the vibrator converges faster over time, and the frequency signals change faster over time. By contrast, when the developer condition in the developer container becomes a certain condition, different from the full filling of the developer in the developer container, the vibration of the vibrator is obstructed by the developer and the vibrator does not vibrate, and thereby the analysis of the change of the frequency signals over time becomes impossible. If the change of the frequency signals over time cannot be detected, the developer condition in the developer container cannot be detected.